This year‘s Snallygaster has five dedicated cider producers: Absolem Cider Company, ANXO Cider, Aval Cider, Lost Boy Cider, and Potter’s Craft Cider.
“But I thought this is DC Beer, Mike?” I hear you asking. To which I must ask, have you ever been to a DC Beer share? I do my best to make sure not one goes by without a bottle or can of fine cider!
Because we have but a partial confirmed beer and cider list at Snallygaster, it’s possible we will see a cider coming from a brewery–hi Pen Druid and Sapwood!–but let’s turn our attention to the cideries that will be at the festival.
Out of these five, Absolem is the newcomer, gearing up to pour at their first Snallygaster. A friend of mine recently made a trip to Maine and brought back some Absolem bottles, which were absolutely wonderful, including Spur, their smoked cider. “Cider made with early season apples smoked with applewood and fermented in stainless tanks. An ode to our favorite mescals and peated whiskeys,” noted their website. Spur was a real stunner and with other smoked beers shared at the DC Beer Share (including a lichtenhainer!) this one was really unique. Fun fact: you can become a DC Beer member at three different levels and get to taste some of these goodies our kind friends fly, drive, and ship back to us.
Absolem’ co-founder and cider maker, Zack Kaiser, will be in town for Snallygaster week and we can’t wait to try more.
Locally, Lost Boy Cider is making cider in Alexandria. Last year they poured Amelia, a dry cider with blueberries and lavender, and Gherkin, a dry cider with cucumbers and pickling spice. The cidery itself may or may not be for sale. It’s complicated!
ANXO owns Brightwood Pizza and Bottle Shop in NW DC, and their cider is made in Pennsylvania. Last year they poured Montmorency Dry Cider, which featured Northern Spy apples and Montmorency cherries, and Imperial Dry Cider, with Stayman Winesap apples and wine yeast.
ANXO had been making tasty dry ciders for years, but recently they’ve branched out to co-ferments, additional wines, and some very creative ways of making cider. If you’ve not tried their Hewe’s Crab, Harrison, or Great Valley Cuvee bottles, I recommend investing in these, as well as Tree Shaker cherry wine.
Charlottesville’s Potter’s Craft Cider brought two ciders to Snallygaster in 2024, Farmhouse Dry and Cranberry Orange Blossom, a cider with hibiscus tea, cranberries, and orange blossoms.
Further afield, Aval is making cider in France. Last year they poured Gold, a dry cider, and Blanc, an off-dry cider. In my humble opinion their Rose is the best of the three that are canned and available in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. We think, hint hint, that you’ll see Rose poured this year.
We discussed Snallygaster 2025 with Greg Engert, Beverage Director & Partner at the Neighborhood Restaurant Group, on the DC Beer Show. He mentioned he’s hoping to get Virginia’s Patois Cider next year. He added that Churchkey Beer Academy (an online educational component that selects beers for participants) recently featured ANXO’s Hereford Gold:
“I was able to talk to Charlie Burt from ANXO… we featured Hereford Gold from ANXO and Oliver cider. And this is a scrumpy, wild, funky cider shipped over from Hereford [England]… blended with a downright American, but dry cider that ANXO makes and then releases here for [Hereford] Gold… tasting that cider reminded me how much I love cider and how much I’m just so excited about cider… it’s remarkable anybody who drinks good cider when they have it they’re like blown away and they can’t believe it. They’re like, ‘wow, I can’t believe I don’t drink more of this’ and so that’s the goal now for [20]25 and [20]26 is we got to drink more good cider.”
I couldn’t agree more and if you’re reading this locally, Patois bottles are currently available at Hop, Cask & Barrel. Some of the finer ANXO offerings and a whole bunch of French cider including Aval, as well as producers like Eric Bordelet and others, are also available.
See you at Snally and don’t forget the fine cider!
